Shoe with pivoting sole

ABSTRACT

A shoe comprising a front part and a back part placed on a sole, wherein the sole incorporates a hinge pivotally connecting the front part and the back part for opening and closing the shoe and a locking mechanism for locking the shoe in closed position and whereby the front part and the back part of the hinge are provided with first respectively second locking means with essentially two possible relative positions towards each other, a first position in which the shoe is unlocked and a second position in which the shoe is locked.

The present invention relates to a shoe comprising a front part and a back part placed on a sole, wherein the sole incorporates a hinge pivotally connecting the front part and the back part for opening and closing the shoe. The shoe also comprises a locking mechanism for locking the shoe in closed position.

Such shoe that may be opened and closed by turning the front part of the shoe relative to the back part facilitates stepping in and out the shoe. This is beneficial in any case but in particular for persons that for whatever reason experience difficulties in stepping in and out shoes.

EP 2 173 208 discloses such shoe. The locking mechanism is integrated in the axis of the hinge. The drawback of this shoe is that the locking mechanism is relatively small for the forces exercised on it and that it may show considerable wear in time, resulting in failure. For functional reason the tolerance in the locking mechanism should be small, however this results in a less reliable and smooth locking of the locking mechanism.

Also Dutch patent 1020208 discloses such shoe. The locking mechanism consists of a slide in the back part of the sole that is forced by a spring in a cavity in the front part of the sole. The hinge consists of two small pins and the pins together may not suffice to absorb all power exerted on it. The pins are consequently vulnerable for deformation. Also the sleeve absorbs part of the forces exerted on the shoe and may deform as well as the cavity. Such deformation may hinder a correct locking and unlocking. Moreover in time this may result in wear and larger tolerances between slide and cavity, which is unacceptable for comfort reason. The presence of the guide way for the slide in the back part of the sole results in a less stiff sole. The shoe is also unstable in open position and may, simply places on the ground and under gravity, turn itself in the closed and locked position.

The present invention intends to solve one or more of the problems of the prior art as described above, and it is in particular an objective of the invention to provide a shoe with a pivoting sole that is robust and durable.

The shoe according to the invention is characterized by one or several of the appended claims.

In a first aspect a front part and a back part of the hinge are provided with first respectively second locking means with essentially two possible relative positions towards each other, a first position with the shoe unlocked and a second position with the shoe locked. In this way the axis of the hinge and the locking mechanism are separate and a strong and durable shoe is obtained. The locking forces will be absorbed by the first and second locking means and are directly transferred to the hinge. The axis of the hinge may be optimally designed for its pivot function. In particular it may be places all over the width of the shoe.

The first and the second locking means may comprise a cam, the cam of the first locking means and the cam of the second locking means resting against each other in closed position of the shoe. These cams will typically have a sufficient large contact area in order to absorb the large forces exerted on it. In order to enhance relative motion of the cams bearing means may be provided, in particular a wheel. To prevent wear of the cams the cams may have rounded edges.

According to another aspect of the invention the hinge is provided with a torsion spring forcing the shoe in open position. The shoe is then stable in open position and may be simply placed on the ground without turning itself in the closed and locked position. In addition the torsion spring will force the first and second locking means, in particular the cams, in locked position against each other compensating a possible tolerance between them and enhancing the locking and the comfort of the shoe. The back part of the hinge may at its rear be provided with a bridge, when stepping in the shoe, creating leverage against the force of the torsion spring and facilitating closing of the shoe.

The first or second locking means may according to the invention be provided on a slider, which slider is slideably connected to the hinge. This provides a simple and smooth way of locking and unlocking the shoe. A spring may be provided between the slider and the hinge, pressing the slider in its position for locking the shoe. The shoe is then always safely locked in closed position. Locking will automatically occur when closing the shoe. Only for unlocking and opening the shoe the slider should be operated. The slider may for this be provided with a handle for unlocking, manually or with a foot.

The hinge of the shoe according to the invention requires sufficient stiffness, in particular the back part of the hinge, and according to the learning of the invention the hinge may therefore be provided with reinforcement ridges. To enhance comfort the heel area may be designed less stiff. Also for comfort reason, in relation to unwinding the foot, the hinge preferably has a front edge skewed with respect to the hinge.

The various aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail and will be elucidated, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows in

FIG. 1, a shoe according to the invention in open position;

FIG. 2, a shoe according to the invention in closed position;

FIG. 3, a hinge of a shoe according to the invention in bottom view;

FIG. 4, a schematic view of the hinge with cams and a torsion spring;

FIG. 5, an embodiment of the slider of the hinge;

FIG. 6, another embodiment of the slider of the hinge and provided with bearing means

FIG. 7, a hinge according to the invention in bottom view and provided with reinforcement ridges; and

FIG. 8, a hinge according to the invention in bottom view and provided with a skewed front edge.

With reference to FIG. 1, the shoe 1 according to the invention is shown in open position with a foot 2 of person stepping in the open shoe. The shoe comprises a front part 3 and a back part 4 and is provided with a sole 5. The front part consists of upper 6 connected to stiffening means 9. The back part consists of upper 7 connected to stiffening means 10. A hinge 8 is incorporated in the sole 5. The hinge consists of a front part 8 a, back part 8 b, an axis 8 c and a handle 19. The back part 4 of the shoe may be turned around this axis 8 c of the hinge 8 towards the front part 3 of the shoe such that the shoe is closed and the edges 11 and 12 rest against each other, as is shown in FIG. 2. The shoe 1 is locked in closed position.

The bottom view of hinge 8 in FIG. 3 shows that the back part of the hinge 8 b is provided with second locking means in the configuration of a cam 13. This cam 13 rests in closed position against a first locking means in the configuration of cam 16 of slider 14 on the front part of the hinge 8 a. The slider 14 is slideably connected to the front part 8 a of the hinge. Between the slider 14 and the front part of the hinge 8 a a spring 18 is placed forcing the slide in a position in which cams 15 and 16 rest against each other and consequently the shoe is locked. The slider 14 is provided with a handle 19. By pushing the handle 19 in the direction of hinge 8, the slide will move against the force of spring 18 from its first and locked position to its second free position. The cams 16 moves relative to cam 13 to its second position in which there is no contact between cam 16 and cam 13 and the hinge 8 is consequently unlocked. Front part 8 a and back part 8 b of the hinge may be turned around axis 8 c in order to open the shoe. Around axis 8 c a torsion spring 17 is provided which forces the back part 8 b and the front part 8 a to turn around axis 8 c to an open position of the shoe. In this open position the torsion spring 17 also prevents the shoe locking itself under gravity and accordingly the shoes may be stored in open position.

When stepping in the shoe 1 the back part 8 b of the hinge is forced downward against the force of the torsion spring 17, the front part 8 a and the back part 8 b of the hinge will rotate relative to each other around axis 8 c until hinge 8 reaches a flat position. In that position cam 13 does not any longer block cam 16 of slider 14 in sideward direction. Spring 18 will then force slide 14 to return to its first position which brings cams 13 and 16 again in contact. This configuration accordingly facilitates opening and closing of the shoe, which requires actually just one handling besides stepping in and out the shoe and that is releasing the lock with the manual when stepping out the shoe. Stepping in may further be facilitated by providing bridge 21 at the rear of back part 8 b of the hinge. This will provide leverage against the force of torsion spring 17.

An additional effect of the torsion spring 17 in closed position of the shoe is shown in more detail in FIG. 4. The torsion spring 17 is placed around axis 8 c with its legs placed at the top side of both hinge parts 8 a and 8 b. On back part 8 b of the hinge cam 13 is provided. The front part 8 a of the hinge slider 14 is provided with cam 16. Cam 13 and cam 16 rest against each other and the torsion spring 17 presses them together compensating for possible tolerance between them. In this way both cams 13 and 16 make firm contact for an optimal locking. Deformation of the cams will be prevented by suitable design choices of material and dimensions of the cams. Preferably the edges of the cams 13 and 16 are rounded in order to facilitate relative movement between them.

An embodiment of the of slider 14 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. The slider 14 is placed in guide ways in both lateral edges 20 an 21 of front part 8 a of the hinge. Between the slider 14 and lateral edge 20 the spring 18 is positioned. The spring 18 itself is locked in a cavity 29 of slide 14 between a smaller extension 27 and a longer extension 28.

Another embodiment of slider 14 is shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment slider 14 is only placed in one lateral edge 20 of slider 14. It is further guided and connected to the front part 8 a of the hinge by nock 22. As this embodiment requires only a guideway in one lateral edges of the hinge, more design freedom is obtained for the shoe, which shoe may be aesthetically optimized. In order to facilitate relative movement of the cams 13 and 16, the cams may be provided with bearing means, in this embodiment of FIG. 6 the bearing means consist of wheels 23.

The hinge according to the invention has to absorb considerable forces exerted on it by the cams. In order to obtain sufficient stiffness, the hinge 8 of FIG. 7 is provided with reinforcement ridges, in particular in longitudinal direction. For comfort reason it may desirable to have the hinge 8 less stiff in the area of the heel for which reason a less stiff area 25 is foreseen to provide sufficient damping.

Unwinding of the foot requires also optimal flexibility of the foot at its front part. Unwinding of the foot takes place along a skewed line. For comfort reason the hinge 8 of FIG. 8 is also provided with a skewed front edge compared to the hinge axis 8 c. In this way sufficient stiffness is obtained without losing comfort.

To the person skilled in art it is obvious that the above given embodiments represent only a few of the many possible variations in which the shoe according to the invention may be embodied. Therefore the embodiments given here must be understood as an elucidation to the appended claims without limiting the scope of the invention. Within the protective scope numerous variations are conceivable, which may include for example, the embodiment wherein the slide may be moved in longitudinal direction of the shoe instead of sideways. The slide may the be positioned in the heel or the nose of the shoe. 

1. A shoe (1) comprising a front part (3) and a back part (4) placed on a sole (5), wherein the sole incorporates a hinge (8) pivotally connecting the front part (3) and the back part (4) for opening and closing the shoe, a locking mechanism for locking the shoe in closed position, characterized in that, a front part (8 a) of the hinge and a back part (8 b) of the hinge are provided with first respectively second locking means with essentially two possible relative positions towards each other, a first position in which the shoe is unlocked and a second position in which the shoe is locked.
 2. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second locking means comprise a cam (13,16), the cam (13) of the first locking means and the cam (16) of the second locking means resting against each other in closed position.
 3. A shoe (1) according to claim 2, wherein at least one cam (13,16) is provided with bearing means.
 4. A shoe (1) according to claim 3, wherein the bearing means comprise a wheel (23).
 5. A shoe (1) according to claim 2, wherein the cam (13,16) is provided with rounded edges.
 6. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hinge (8) is provided with a torsion spring (17) forcing the shoe in open position.
 7. A shoe (1) according to claim 6, wherein the back part (8 b) of the hinge at the rear is provided with a bridge (21).
 8. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first or second locking means is provided on a slider (14), which slider is connected to the hinge (8).
 9. A shoe (1) according to claim 8, wherein a spring (18) is provided between the slider (14) and the hinge (8), forcing the slider (14) in its position for locking the shoe.
 10. A shoe (1) according to claim 8, wherein the slider (14) is provided with a handle (19) outside the hinge for releasing the slider out of the locked position of the shoe.
 11. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hinge (8) is provided with reinforcement ridges (24).
 12. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the back part (8 b) of the hinge is provided with a less stiff area (25) at the heel location.
 13. A shoe (1) according to claim 1, wherein the front part (8 a) of the hinge has a front edge (26) skewed with respect to the axis (8 c) of the hinge. 